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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas

Top Stories

Friday, September 11, 1998

Petition seeks vote to ax road system


By PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
Reeves County voters will soon have the opportunity to
abolish the unit road system that they created in 1990.

Responding to a petition filed with County Clerk Dianne
Florez and certified by Tax Assessor-Collector Elfida
Zuniga, the Reeves County Commissioners Court is expected to
set an election for Nov. 3, the next qualified election
date. Commissioners will discuss and take action the item at
11:30 a.m. Monday, as part of their regularly-scheduled
meeting.

The petition, signed by 428 qualified voters, seeks the
election "to allow voters of Reeves County to vote for or
against the optional county road system..."

Trine Villalobos filed the petition, which includes numerous
pages of signatures compiled by citizens in Pecos, Toyah and
Balmorhea.

Felipe Arredondo, Precinct 1 commissioner, denied this
morning the rumor that he paid Villalobos and others to
circulate the petitions.

"It is not true. I don't know where they got that idea,"
Arredondo said of the rumor. "I didn't pay anyone."

Asked if he is for abolishing the unit road system,
Arredondo replied, "No comment. I have enough troubles
already. They will hang me."

Arredondo said he heard that five people circulated the
petitions in Pecos, and two others worked Balmorhea and
Toyah.

Dr. W.J. Bang, Precinct 2 commissioner, pushed for the
election that created the unit system in 1990, saying it
would save the county money over the old system, in which
all four commissioners had their own road crews and
equipment.

Bang's term expires Dec. 31, and he did not seek re-election.

Russ Salcido is the current road administrator, having been
hired 10 days after the death of Mack Ham on May 13, 1995.

Ham assumed the position in 1992, replacing the first road
administrator, Buddy Wilson.

Before the unit system was created, each commissioner was
responsible for roads in his precinct. That required
equipment and a shop in each precinct.

With the unit system, the road administrator decides when
and where to work on roads and assigns his crews accordingly.

Board eyes employee retirement plan


By ROBERT RAMIREZ
Contributing Writer
Pecos Housing Authority board members discussed an employee
retirement plan Thursday, along with closing PHA operations
during the week prior to Christmas, during their regular
monthly meeting.

PHA board members also went over their monthly income and
expense report as well as their monthly occupancy report.

The decision on the retirement plan for PHA and Farm Labor
Housing employees will not be made until the Sept. 23. The
proposal being considered is the Lincoln Life plan. "We do
need a pension plan for the employees," said PHA chairman
Frank Perea.

In this plan, the employer has two options: Pay the full
amount or go 10 and 5 with the employees. "The employee
should contribute some, so they can have ownership," Perea
said. Workers would put five percent of their salary towards
the pension, with PHA adding a 10 percent contribution.

The board discussed the mutual and net cost of the proposal.
Perea said that the PHA did not budget for the plan this
year, but it is to the employees' benefit even if they have
to contribute some money.

The board also discussed closing operations from December
21-25, so that all PHA employees can take time off at the
same time.

"I visited with Nellie (Gomez, the executive director)
about it," said Perea, who added "it's customary" for the
holiday to be allowed.

The PHA board will have another discussion on this matter at
another meeting.
Total expenses for the month of August reached $116,233.44.
The total excess of revenues over expenses reached
$134,337.50. According to the PHA occupancy status report,
of the 130 total apartments, 95 are occupied, 35 are vacant,
and 32 are reserved for CIAP renovation.

According to the PHA bank reconciliation statement, the PHA
ended August with a total balance of $132,963.87 in the bank.

Board members also discussed and reviewed bids for the
purchase of a copier for the PHA office. The copier that was
chosen was a Canon digital laser copier from CMC Business
Systems, which will cost $5,670.50.

Livestock's troubled past causing problems


By PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
Two years after a district court trial on Pecos River
Livestock's $130,000 loan from Reeves County to establish a
goat dairy, the matter is still up in the air and interested
parties are left hanging.

One such person is Sandra Kimbel of Lomita, Calif., who
bought the 80-acre tract of land south of Pecos, along with
the goat barn, at a sheriff's sale Sept. 3, 1996.

"The sheriff's office was supposed to send a clear title,
but I have yet to receive it," Kimbel said in a letter she
has faxed to numerous officials, including Texas Gov. George
W. Bush.

Kimbel paid $9,200 for the property, which John Stickels,
attorney for Reeves County, placed in escrow pending the
outcome of the lawsuit. She said she also paid two years in
delinquent taxes.

Kimbel said she had an offer of $30,000 for the property in
February, 1997, but the buyer backed out when she was unable
to get a clear title.

David Stephens of Elliott and Waldron Abstract Co. said he
cannot write title insurance for the tract as long as there
is a cloud on the title. He advised Kimbel to hire an
attorney, which she did.

Midland attorney Mary Lou Cassidy contacted each of the
parties to the suit and asked them to sign an instrument
allowing him to give a good title, Stephens said.

"All of them signed - except Reeves County," he said.

Kimbel said she tried to talk with County Judge Jimmy
Galindo in Dec., 1997, but "he would not speak with me."

Galindo denies any knowledge of the matter.

County Attorney Lynn Owens said that the county cannot
transfer the title until a judgment is rendered in the court
case.

Retired judge Paul McCollum of Odessa heard testimony in the
case in August, 1996. He held a hearing earlier this year to
clear up some financial questions, then took the court's
file with him for further study.

Owens said McCollum told him about a month ago that he had
dictated a judgment, but that his secretary was on vacation
and had not typed it. He expected to have it ready in about
10 days.

Judge McCollum was not in his office this morning, and his
secretary said any comment would have to come from him.

Stephens said that once the judgment is rendered, parties
have 30 days to appeal. If an appeal is filed, the cloud
would remain on the title until the decision is final. If no
appeal is filed, the title could be transferred at the end
of the 30-day period.

Street closings approved by city


By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
Town of Pecos City Council members approved the closing of
some streets for this weekend's 16th of September Fiestas
and agreed to help the Pecos Housing Authority with a
building project.

Octavio Garcia told the council that the 16th of September
Committee was asking for permission to close the streets in
front of Santa Rosa Catholic Church today and Saturday
during the fiestas, something it has done for several years.

Garcia also invited the community to participate in the
yearly event, sponsored by the church. Food, music and
plenty of entertainment will be a part of the festivities.

"Nellie Gomez, with the Pecos Housing Authority, has asked
us if we could help them out with getting sewer and water
lines installed at a building owned by them, that they want
to use as a community center," said city manager Kenneth
Neal, who told the council that Garcia had come up with some
figures.

The sewer line, which would run for 140 feet, would cost
$294 for the materials with the labor being set at $630. The
300-foot-long water line would be $1,040 for materials and
$1,350 for labor.

"They wanted to see if the city could help out a little with
the cost to install these," said Garcia.

Council members told Garcia that if he could work it into
his schedule, the city would provide the labor and they
could take care of the material costs.

"We can work into the schedule, but they just wanted to know
what we could do for them," Garcia said. "This would save
PHA $1,980."

During the public comments portion of the meeting city shop
foreman Doug Cox addressed the council and questioned how
the budget could be set if he was never approached and had
not turned in a financial statement.

"I was never approached to turn in figures," he said.

"We just used the figures from last year, everything stayed
the same, the same equipment, the same expenses," said city
manager Kenneth Neal.

"One more question, I read in the paper where I would take
one man out of the shop and he was to be put in the parks,"
said Cox. "I visited with my employees and I don't think any
of them want to go."

"If you force them, I'm afraid we'll have someone who quits.
My men are mechanics, they're not weed-choppers," Cox added.

"I think this is an internal problem more than a public
comments item," said city attorney Scott Johnson.

Council members thanked Cox for his comments and later in
the meeting voted to place him on the agenda for the next
meeting. The group will discuss that item in executive
session.

Johnson updated the council on the creation of underground
water district for Reeves, Pecos and Loving counties.

"At the last meeting Elvia Reynolds and Clark Lindley were
both elected to serve on that committee on behalf of the
city and both were present when the water district met," he
said. Other members on the water committee are from Pecos
and Loving Counties.

"We had previously thought the city would not be included,
but that's not the case," said Johnson. "This is just to
keep you all updated."

Johnson stated that one thing that was discussed was the tax
rate that will be imposed. "It's really very minimal," he
said. He added that the district is just in its formation
stages right now, and there is no pressure at this time to
act on anything.

"It's a long-range plan that probably will take place in
2002," he said.

Council members met in executive session to discuss the
part-time grant writer's position. The group voted to give
each of the three local applicants a chance to prove
themselves. Each one will have a chance to look over the
contract and see if they want to accept it and work on it.

Applicants included Jimmy Dutchover, Mari Maldonado, and a
group consisting of city employees, Steve McCormick, Alice
Matta and Olga Armendariz.

"We're going to give each the opportunity to do a job and
will be on contract work, but they'll each have the chance
to prove themselves," said council member Gerald Tellez.

Items for the next agenda include a report on the juvenile
detention center; errors and corrections on the 1996-97
empowered taxes, local exemptions and in executive session
the city shop foreman.

Drug charges head up list of 26 indictments


BY PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
One of 26 defendants named in federal indictments Thursday
was charged with possession with intent to distribute
cocaine. Others involve marijuana smuggling or immigration
violations.

Juan Jesus Vasquez-Rey, 35,, of El Paso, is charged with
possession of cocaine with intent to distribute on Aug. 23.

Charged with importing and possessing with intent to
distribute 93.65 pounds of marijuana on Aug. 27 is Javier
Reed-Soto, 27, of Cuahutemoc, Chih., Mex.

Jeremy Luigi Sambugaro, 21, of Plainfield, Ill., is charged
with conspiracy to possess marijuana and two counts of
possession with intent to distribute marijuana, 99.3 and
64.5 pounds on March 5 and Aug. 16.

Enrique Vasquez, 29, of Fort Hancock, conspiracy to possess
and possession of 219.98 pounds of marijuana on Aug. 19.

Possession with intent to distribute marijuana is the charge
against:

* Jesus Manuel Fabela, 20, and Jorge Saldana-Gonzalez, 25,
both Mexican citizens; 152 pounds on Aug. 21.

* Abelardo Flores-Balderama, 32, of El Paso, 110.72 pounds
on Aug. 13.

* Martha Patricia Esquievel-Garcia and Luis Arturo
Rubio-Hernandez, 31, of Juarez, Mex., 512.66 and 304.84
pounds on Dec. 16, 1997 and Aug. 30.

* Jose Luis Serna-Martinez, 28, of Hobbs, N.M., 53 pounds on
Aug. 14.


* Raul Rodriguez, 42, of Odessa, and Hector Leroy, 25, of El
Paso, 47.66 pounds on Aug. 23.

* Margot Lopez, 42, of Hobbs, N.M., 134.50 pounds on April
17.

* Selene Gandara-Ramos, 25, Jamie Gandara Jr., 19, both of
Nocona; and Adrian Dominguez, 25, of Fabens, 157.46 pounds
on Aug. 20.

Immigration violations include five counts of transportation
of illegal aliens against Kenneth Harris Jr., of Emory and
Ronald E. Jones of Charlotte, N.C.;

Improper entry after deportation against Jesus Manuel
Coyazo-Medrano, 28, of Ojinaga, Mex.: entered at a time and
place other than as designated by immigration officers, and
prior to that was convicted of illegal entry.

Fernando Zuniga-Sanchez is charged with conspiracy to
transport aliens on Aug. 22 by delivering a fan to Hudspeth
County and fueling the van.

Charged with illegal entry after deportation are:

* Reynaldo Ramirez-Guzman, 30, of Yayo Nayaria, Mex., Aug.
22.

* Rafael Sanchez-Cruz, 24, of Juarez, Mex., Aug. 22.

* Luis Carlos Flores-Baeza, 24, of Delicias, Chih., Mex.,
Sept. 8.

* Armando Lorenzo Lopez-Lozano, 22, of Fort Stockton.

* Palmira Soto-Carreto, 32, of Chihuahua, Chih., Mex., with
the enhancement that the defendant was deported subsequent
to a felony conviction, Sept. 3.

Clark hopes to add to wins in Odessa


EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the last of three articles on
Reeves-Loving 4-H Club members who will be competing at this
weekend's Permian Basin Fair and Livestock Show in Odessa.
By CLAUDE W. PORTER
Contributing Writer
John Marvin Clark began showing 4-H Club animals at age
eight. A winner from the beginning, he captured the "Reserve
Grand Champion" honors with a heavy weight shorthorn steer
at the Reeves County Junior Livestock Show his first year.

The shorthorn breed has done well for John Marvin. He has
shown shorthorn steers not only at the Reeves County shows,
but also in Fort Worth, San Angelo, and Stanton. He once
again took the "Reserve Grand Champion" title at the Reeves
County Junior Livestock Show this past January.

With this proven track record, John Marvin plans to ply his
showmanship skills at the Permian Basin Fair in Odessa. He
will make the trip with another shorthorn this Saturday and
Sunday.

John Marvin experimented with lambs his second year of
showing. Although he drew three first place ribbons, he
returned to showing steers. His success has continued with
the shorthorn breed.

Caring for 4-H animals and maintaining the necessary record
books keeps John Marvin on the move. His record book won him
a first place ribbon in the local 4-H Club in which he is
active.

John Marvin is an "A" student at Zavala Jr. High School in
Pecos. He plays "A" team football there.

In July this past summer John Marvin went to State in the
break-away calf-roping competition. He distinguished himself
in the same sport in August at the All Kids Rodeo, in Pecos.
"High Point All-Around Boy" in the 9-14 age bracket was
achieved.

A member of the American Junior Rodeo Association (AJRA),
John Marvin took the first place ribbon this summer at
Carlsbad, New Mexico, in ribbon roping. His fortunes dropped
slightly at Van Horn, where he received second place.

The family ranch, operated by John Marvin's Dad, Gary Clark,
is a proving ground for ranch skills. During the summer,
John Marvin works cattle there with his Dad.

"He is coming along," says Clark. "I look for him to do fine
in years to come."

Showing a mother's concern for her high-achieving youngster,
Judy Clark says, "He works hard to the point of perfection."

The Clarks also have a daughter, Courtney, who is active in
4-H Club and Jr. Rodeo events.

Commissioners to consider librarian


A new Reeves County Librarian will be the topic of
discussion for Monday's regular Reeves County Commissioners
Court meeting, starting at 9:30 a.m., on the top floor of
the courthouse.

The group will meet in executive session to discuss this
matter, while in open session, commissioners will discuss an
employment contract for nursing services at RCDC and a
contract for the detention of juvenile offenders (space
available) between Midland County, Ector County and Reeves
County.

The group will discuss and approve contractors application
for payment number nine for RCDC dayroom addition project;
contractors application for payment number one for RCDC
support services shell and recreation building addition
project and form of performance and payment bonds provided
by Banes General Contractors for RCDC Support service shell
and recreation building addition project.

Other items on the agenda include discuss/take action on the
S.T.A.R. (State of Texas Anniversary Remembrance Day)
resolution; A contract between Reeves County and the Texas
Department of Protective and Regulatory Services (including
all amendments); Early voting clerks for the Nov. 3
elections; awarding bids for group health insurance and
group insurance; Reports from various departments; Budget
amendments and line-item transfers; and Personnel and salary
changes (RCDC, county library, sheriff's department and
Juvenile Detention Center).

Action on minutes from previous meetings, and semi-monthly
bills will also be taken.

OBITUARIES

Melvin Estey


Melvin Estey, 69, died Thursday, Sept. 10, 1998, at Reeves
County Hospital.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m., Sunday, at the
Fourth and Bois D'Arc Church of Christ.

He was born March 24, 1929 in Massachusetts, was a Korean
War Veteran, a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post
#67 of Pecos and a member of the National Field Archery
Association.

Survivors include his wife, Betty Estey of Pecos.

Pecos Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Nancy Harman


A memorial service is scheduled on Saturday for Nancy
Harman, 91, a former Pecos resident to died on Wednesday,
September 9, 1998 at her residence in Dallas. The service
will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, September 12, 1998 at
Preston Hollow United Methodist Church, in Dallas, with the
Rev. Tora Brown, officiating. Private interment will be at
Hillcrest Memorial Park at First Baptist Church in Dallas.

Harman was born February 18, 1907 in Graham, Virginia, and
was a Pecos resident in the 1930s. She and her husband were
involved in the fledgling West Texas oil industry and moved
to Dallas in 1937, where she worked for Byrd-Frost Oil
Company Inc. and Three States Natural Gas Company. She is
survived by many cousins in Virginia, Maryland, North
Carolina and New York.

WEATHER


High Thursday 93. Low this morning 61. Forecast for
tonight: Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of showers
and thunderstorms. Locally heavy rain possible. Low in the
mid 60s. East wind 10-20 mph and gusty. Saturday, rain
likely and a few thunderstorms. Locally heavy rain possible.
High in the lower 80s. East to northeast wind 10-20 mph and
gusty. Chance of rain 70 percent.



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